The present invention relates to an apparatus for end face welding of plastic parts and which includes part retaining clamping devices at least one of which is mounted on a displaceable carriage, and a heating device movable between the clamping devices for contactless heating of the ends of the plastic parts.
EP-A2-0167870 discloses a hand-held apparatus of the above-mentioned type that can be used only for welding tubular parts having a small diameter. An error-free operation of this apparatus for obtaining substantially faultless welds is hardly possible because both welded parts are displaced by clamping devices toward each other while the heating device still moves therebetween. Besides, the displacement time of the heating device depends on the operator's skill, so that maintaining a substantially constant welding temperature which is necessary for obtaining a good weld is not always guaranteed.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is a welding apparatus of the above-mentioned type that insures a substantially faultless welding despite a manual operation thereof.